Hunting For Truth
by Roxius
Summary: A story mainly centered around OCs, taking place before the start of the series. A Military Police soldier learns of his older brother's recent death at the hands of a Titan, and resolving to avenge him at the risk of his own life, joins the Survey Corps on a mission. However, lost in the Titan forest, he learns more than he expected about both Titans and his brother. Please R & R!
1. Prologue

"Shit! Shit!" Albrecht Yazawa swore under his breath again and again. Perspiration ran rampant down his chiseled face, some of it getting in his eyes, and his hair flapping in the wind as his horse charged across the flat plains.

Lars Monroe ground his teeth firmly, the horse's reins rubbing his palms raw as he clenched them for dear life, and he smacked his steed's side with his heel to try and spur it on faster. "It's coming right for us!" From behind him, he could hear the sound of large footsteps grew steadily closer, and he could feel the tremors that came with them. They shot through the ground, traveled up the galloping, pounding legs of his equine and the tremors settled into his heart, filling it with such indescribable fear that he wanted to scream and nothing else. Judging from Albrecht's pale-stricken face, he must have felt similarly in this situation.

"I know that! It's running faster than I thought! It must be an Abnormal or something!"

"What should we do? Can we try to fight that thing?" Lars offered.

Albrecht snapped, "No way! We'll get killed! We can't fight with our vertical maneuver gear on flat land like this! For now, we have to regroup with the rest of the squadron!"

Lars finally took a moment to whip his head over his shoulder, even though he knew quite well that the sight could have killed him from the shock alone. A Titan was charging after them, a ten-meter one, very tall with a slim build and black hair that seemed to shine, likely with grease. When his eyes crossed with those black, glossy orbs staring hungrily back, with what resembled a gleaming slasher smile spread across its face, Lars could have sworn he experienced a minor heart attack. His heart must have literally skipped a beat or two. It was true what the veterns said; meeting a Titan's stare was enough to make you want to turn to drinking and curl up in your bedroom with the lights on for the rest of your life.

He tore himself away from that horrifying face, somehow, before the will to fight was completely sucked dry from his body like a leech. However, doing this allowed him to discover something else that only further worsened the state of the poor muscular organ hammering away inside of his chest.

"Oh God! Emmerich! He's going to get…!"

"What?" Albrecht exclaimed. He didn't need a full explanation.

The third member of their party was a young man named Emmerich Meyer, the same age as both of them, and one of their best friends from training camp. He was currently falling behind the two by several dozen feet, with the Titan nearly closing the gap. He desperately flicked the reins and struck his horse on the rib multiple times, but the riding animal only continued to lose speed. Emmerich could almost feel the Titan's hot, musky breath brushing against the back of his neck now. Emmerich let out a strangled squeak of terror, because he had wanted to avoid this kind of situation at all costs.

His horse had been exhibiting some oddities earlier on the scouting mission, actually, it appeared that it had caught ill. How the stable-men missed it was beyond him, but Emmerich had gone too far out past the wall with the rest of the Survey Corps. that, by the time he had noticed it, there was nothing he could have done. He couldn't request to turn back, because he'd be abandoning his comrades.

According to Commander Erwin's formation plans, the squadron split off into a number of smaller squads going different directions, putting considerable amounts of distance between each other. Unfortunately, or maybe inevitably, a pair of Abnormal Titans appeared and disrupted the flow. attacking two of the squads nearest to the three young men.

Somehow, in the midst of all of the resulting chaos, Emmerich and his two friends had gotten themselves lost from the remainder of the group. A Titan had tried to attack them, but it gave up when it noticed a larger group of soldiers calling its attention, and after riding for several minutes, this new one appeared and forced them to go far off of the planned route. They had fired a red flare, but they'd received no such reply in turn as of yet.

Over the sound of both his own pounding heart and the Titan's footsteps, Emmerich could just make out the breathing patterns of his steed It was wheezing and gasping for air like a sickly man; it was clearly putting all of its effort into its gallop, even though its health was on the line. He wished that sheer persistence was all they needed to survive, but his trusty horse just wasn't up to snuff. Emmerich made a quick snap from fear for his life to determination to fight. He had no other choice, anyway. His horse was not going to outrun it. He released the reins.

'I'm going to have to kill it!' Emmerich unsheathed his Anti-Titan blades from the sheathes attached on his thighs, attaching them onto the handles that controlled his 3-D maneuver gear.

"What's he doing?" Lars cried out; the two men watched on as if it were some kind of extreme stage play, and they were the audience. They were unable to do anything, stricken with panic as they were.

"He's going to try and kill it!" Albrecht was honestly baffled at the very thought.

Lars' eyes nearly flew from their sockets, shouting back, "The guy's nuts! At this point he's gonna get eaten either way, but why throw himself right into the Titan's hands? Shit, we have to stop him, Albrecht!"

"Let's just hope it's a stupid Abnormal; some of them are fast or strong, but not many of them are very bright." Albrecht pointed out. He grimaced, "We can't stop, or else we may get killed ourselves, or our horses might get injured too. It doesn't look like Emmerich's horse will be any use anymore for him to escape. He has no choice. And besides, if you have no hope left in surviving, wouldn't you rather die trying to fight back then just running away…?"

Lars could not reply, and he nibbled anxiously on his bottom lip as he struggled to think up a response, yet nothing came to him. He looked back to properly burn his friend's last moments into his mind, so he could fully recount it to the unfortunate man's younger brother left behind at Military Police headquarters.

Emmerich leaped off of his horse, spinning himself around in mid-air so his body faced the Titan's, man to monster. He clicked the operating switch on the handle of the left blade, which fired a thin steel cable that pierced itself into the jugular vein of the Titan's throat. The monster could not had less indifference to being stabbed in the neck; it really didn't seem to have any pain receptors at all. It did not take its eyes off of its designated prey.

Just as it had gone in the training, his maneuver gear released a stream of high-powered gas that propelled him into the air, and he led along by the wire itself straight into the Titan's open maw. Emmerich had already formulated a simple but extremely dangerous plan. He intended to swerve a hard, fast left just as the Titan made its grab for him, and if he moved quickly enough, he could roll himself over the Titan's shoulder or get underneath its arm, and whip around onto its back, where he would get a clean shot at its nape. The chances of achieving this feat successfully was incredibly slim. It was basically akin to jumping down into a deep, dark gorge with a blind-fold on and hoping you land on the soft mattress instead of the rocky spikes just a half-foot to the right of it. He prepared both himself and his blades when he came into Titan-biting distance. It was now or forever.

He tilt his body to the left in conjunction with the maneuver gear's gas speeding him through the air, and he attempted to move at top speed, squeezing down the trigger hard enough that his hand ached. The wind was lashing across his face and his cape flapped in the wind. The Titan lunged for him. Emmerich couldn't breath; it moved its head right into the path of his movement, as if it had anticipated it from the very start. It nipped at his foot, biting through the tip of his shoe and removing two of his toes along with it. Emmerich sucked in air through his teeth. Blood flew, some of it splashing on the Titan's face like some kind of grotesque make-up. It swallowed his toes in a single gulp.

It happened faster than he could have expected; Abnormals were nothing a greenhorn like himself was prepared to face. Emmerich tried to fly back and put more distance between himself and the Titan before whipping around to get at its neck. Unfortunately, his maneuver gear had hit its technological limits; he was already moving at max speed. Even more so, he could only let out so much wire, and he was nearly run out, so distance was out of his control as well.

The Titan was already upon him again; its repulsive visage looming overhead, jaws open wide and saliva oozing from its lips. Emmerich's fear heightened to an all new level, one unknown to him before, and he realized that this was it. He had not only underestimated the enemy, but he'd completely overestimated his own talents, and now he was going to die. The Titan grabbed him in its giant hand, and the wire of his maneuver gear snapped off. It held him so carelessly, like a child holding a ragdoll. Emmerich looked up at the creature.

No. Not yet. There was still one viable option left, he thought.

Emmerich peeked out of the corner of his eye to see Lars and Albrecht's horses galloping further and further away, the two men remaining firmly atop them. They had chosen not to fight; even right now with his body partially immobilized by the Titan's grip, Emmerich could not say that he blamed their choice. This Titan was an Abnormal, a strong one at that, and it was simply a misfortune that Emmerich's horse had not been in peak condition enough to outrun it. Dying with purpose was part of the Survey Corps' code, but staying alive was still considered being of critical importance.

The Titan squeezed hard enough to snap several of Emmerich's ribs. Emmerich had liked the two men, they were his closest friends during their days as new recruits. They had befriended him from the very start. They'd even all agreed to join the Survey Corps. together on their first night as roommates. That was how things led up to this point. Emmerich still had one arm hanging loose, so he flung his worthless blade into the Titan's eye with perfect accuracy. The eyeball was torn open, the cornea split apart. More blood dribbled down the Titan's face, yet from the way it reacted,the scar was but the most minor of scrapes.

With his hand now free, he brought it straight to his mouth. If he unleashed his true form, Lars and Albrecht would be able to witness it from their current position. When that happened, after he had defeated the Titan, he would be forced to kill them to hide his secret. His mother had told him long ago that he had a gift, but that it was a gift he should never use in the wake of the Wall People, or else his entire peaceful existence would be destroyed. He agreed with her outlook, but that did not mean he felt a pang of guilt of having to kill his two closest friends. Emmerich brought his hand to his mouth and sank his teeth into the skin-

The Titan's mouth snapped shut on Emmerich's head. Blood began to seep through its lips and dribble over its hand. With a sickening snap, the Titan pulled its head back, taking the young man's head and most of his attached spinal cord with it. The Titan had been just a second faster.

"It got 'em…shit…" Lars could barely keep down his bile as he turned his head away. His vision became blurry as a few hot tears formed, and he desperately tried to wipe them away on his sleeve. He couldn't do it. He tried again, but the tears were adamant little bastards. Lars swore under his breath.

Albrecht took in a breath that shuddered down his throat. "Okay, he's…he's gone. I got it. I got it. He tried, but of course, the Titan won. They always win."

"Albrecht-"

"I got it!" he snapped back at the top of his voice.

"Albrecht," Lars continued, trying to keep them both calm, but he couldn't help but say what was on his mind as frankly as he could, "We should have gone back to save him."

"Tch…" Albrecht looked away, because the longer he tried to hold a stare with Lars, the more the other man's guilt seemed to be absorbed into him, and he started to realize that he was right. They should have stopped running, turned their horses right around, and charged straight at that goddamn monster to save Emmerich. Instead, they had used their friend as a distraction, a sacrifice meant to put more distance between themselves and the Titan.

Lars, despite hesitation to witnessing the desecration of his friend's corpse, looked back at the Titan. The giant was now kneeling on the ground. It almost looked like it was prostrating itself in apology for what it had done.

"What?"

The Titan's body started to alter itself before his very eyes. Its pale, white skin started to sizzle and bubble, turning a darker and darker shade of charcoal-black as plumes of steam began to billow forth. The steam did not stop pouring out until it had formed something of a thick shell around the Titan's entire body, completely obscuring it from view, and leaving the young soldier staring with bulging eyes and a gaping mouth. The tower of steam rose upward next, and it did not vanish even after a minute and a half had passed.

"What are you doing? We have to get away from here before another Titan shows up!" Albrecht's shouts broke Lars out of his daze.

"That Titan…after it ate Emmerich…what is it…?" Lars tried to ask.

"It could be reproducing!"

"Reproducing?"

"We don't know how Titans create new Titans, right? Maybe they reproduce asexually after they've eaten enough people!"

"But we know that Titans vomit up the remains of the people they've eaten after their stomachs fill up! What are you talking about, Albrecht?"

"Yeah, but that's all of the known cases we have written down, and just how many people usually survive encounters with Titans? Maybe some Titans are special and create new Titans, while the others simply eat and spew chunks afterward? Look, what I'm getting at is, we hardly know anything about them! Which is why we have to get back to the rest of the squadron while the Titan isn't moving! We don't have the time to inspect it when it could come charging at us at any second! And if it is making new Titans, then we'll be in even more trouble hanging around here!"

Lars thought he saw something moving inside of the pillar of steam. "But Albrecht…what if it's…"

"Do you want to die like Emmerich? Do you want to make his death all that much more pointless? We have to survive and make it back home, so we can tell his little brother about what happened to him! We'd be failures as human beings if we couldn't do that much for Emmerich!" Albrecht may have been letting his emotions run high to try and hide his anguish over the loss of Emmerich, but he wasn't spouting bullshit either. Lars knew he had a good point. There was nothing they could do that would have improved this situation if they went back.

In the distance, a flare was fired, its black trail like a giant flower stem sprouting into the sky.

"Some other soldiers survived. The Commander is calling us back to regroup." Albrecht remarked, his voice notably monotone once he had regained control over himself.

Lars nodded. He sniffled, and Albrecht's lips drew tight. The two men rode their horses in silence the remainder of the way home. They both struggled to imagine how to properly break this tragic news to Emmerich's younger brother, a soldier in the Military Police, when they themselves weren't sure when, at what point, they could accept that their friend was gone just like that. He was now left permanently floundering as a clump of bloody chunks at the bottom of some Titan's guts.


	2. Sixth Squad

Sebastian Meyer quietly examined his reflection in the mirror. The morning's sunlight shone in streaks through the open window behind him, adjacent from the bunk bed of his tiny, one-room apartment. The light stretched across the floor and illuminated the Military Police crest adorning the back of his uniform. The Emerald Unicorn, the prestigious symbol of the elite soldiers who had chosen to dedicate their very beings to protecting and serving the people, particularly the King, living behind the Walls. Or so the older men in the squads liked to boast when they weren't drunk off of their asses.

Sebastian's roommate had already left early that morning to catch breakfast at the cafeteria, but Sebastian had elected to stay behind a little longer. He did not care if all of the seats would be taken within minutes, or if the only food left by the time he'd get there would be the crusts of a few peanut butter sandwiches and some cold scrambled eggs at the bottom of the tin. In fact, he had no intention of attending breakfast today.

Last night, he had been approached by Lars Monroe and Albrecht Yazawa, two of his former colleagues from their training days, to be informed of his older brother Emmerich's untimely demise at the hands of a Titan. A Titan that they had been able to describe in good detail, actually.

Sebastian had been told, several times in fact, that the Survey Corps had the lowest life expectancy numbers of all three branches of the military. This should have been expected, but it was still so hard to believe.

Although he had opted to join the Military Police for its obvious benefits, his older brother, the man he had grown up admiring and idolizing his entire life, had decided to join humanity's most foolhardy force. It was likely out of some inflated sense of justice, that was the kind of person Sebastian's brother was. Emmerich had been the guy who would always take the hit for someone else.

Sebastian had tried to make something of himself as his own person by going a separate path from his brother, for once in both their lives. Emmerich had been like both a sibling and a parent for him, since their parents passed away, but Sebastian had momentarily let his own hubris of being an accomplished trainee get the better of him. He thought that he would be safer as a Military Police officer, and he wouldn't back down from that decision no matter where his brother decided to go.

Apparently, that had been the wrong choice.

Sebastian touched the faint blonde stubble on his chin, and he wondered for a moment if he should shave before leaving to meet with Hanji Zoe of the Survey Corps.. He wanted to make a good impression with her; it was probably the least, but the most proper, thing he could do, when what he was intending to request from her might be considered tantamount to assisted suicide.

He was no longer going to sit comfortably behind the Walls and waste away all of his training on things like alcohol and cheap women. Nor did he intend to let his brother's legacy be left behind as meaty pieces stuck between a Titan's filthy teeth.

It was time for an early change in careers.

* * *

Fourth Squad Leader Hanji Zoe of the Survey Corps was young but experienced, already considered a stand-out soldier even among the many skilled members of her division. She had gained her position the same way as all Squad Leaders did, with their former Squad Leader being eaten, but she proved herself quite capable at the job, putting more of a focus on obtaining new information and performing experiments rather than battle strategy or survival tactics. She was no Commander Erwin Smith or Special Operations Squad Leader Levi, but she was given a lot of leeway when it came to decision-making, and it seemed both men trusted her quite openly. She seemed she would be the easiest of the three to talk with in a face-to-face conversation, so with a bit of string-pulling, Sebastian had managed to arrange a meeting with her to discuss his joining the Corps.

However, he hadn't imagined their meeting would be in the middle of her and her men operating on a detained Titan.

"So you're that Sebastian from the Military Police who wanted to talk? Nice to meet you, I'm Fourth Squad Leader Hanji Zoe!"

The bespectacled woman held out a gloved hand, which was dripping with steaming blood. Sebastian stared at it warily. Hanji took a moment to notice why he was hesitating.

"O-Oh yes, sorry about that!" Hanji removed the glove and presented her hand again, and now the young man was willing to take it. Her hand still felt warm from the Titan's boiling blood.

"I'm the one who should be sorry. I didn't realized I was bothering you when you were in the middle of your work like this." Sebastian said.

"Actually, it's fine," Hanji waved it off, putting back on the bloody glove, "We were almost finished with Alexander over there anyway."

"Alexander?"

"Yes! A 4-meter Titan. Do you want to see him?" Hanji's eyes could have literally been sparkling, or maybe it was the light reflecting off of her glasses.

"What? A...A Titan? You want me to come over there? But I only just-"

"It won't take very long. I'm sure he wouldn't mind seeing a new face!"

"He? What?"

"Alexander."

"...Ah."

"Titans are humanity's enemy, and you can only learn so much about them from reading a textbook as a kid in class, I say!"

"But...but..."

"Don't worry, he's tied down! You're in no danger at all!"

If he was going to be facing Titans head-on as a future member of the Survey Corps, it was only logical that Sebastian made the effort to start growing accustomed to them. At least this Titan was tied down tightly enough that it wouldn't attempt to bite his ankles off. Future Titans, he might not be so lucky with. Hanji hurried along, and the young man hurried after. Sebastian stopped to take in a shuddered gasp of a breath as he followed Hanji into a tent. He was quickly submerged into darkness, but lying there on the floor was a single candle, the only source of light to be found.

The Titan was sitting upright on its knees, the chest forced open by several hooks tied to poles surrounding it, revealing the entirety of its innards to both soldiers. Its eyes were half-closed, and it seemed calm to the point of being asleep, acting suspiciously listless and inactive for a man-eating monster. It didn't even appear to be breathing. Sebastian shivered; he remembered how they'd explained in class that Titans were usually inactive at night, and it seemed that they were partially powered by sunlight, explaining the existence of the tent. A pair of soldiers, with 3-D maneuver gear and swords at the ready, were keeping watch.

"This is a Titan, but a very small one compared to most. I named him Alexander." Hanji explained. She reached deep into the Titan's guts and removed a small, metal object. It appeared to be a scalpel. She looked it over, turning it several times in her hand, before tossing it onto a small metal tray.

"...It's bleeding a lot..." Sebastian could not have said anything less intelligent at that moment, but he was still so stunned seeing a Titan for the first time, it was like it had clamped a tight lock over his brain and his words. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the drowsy-looking giant that seemed to be staring past him. He didn't even know if he could move his legs or dare to turn his back to it. For some reason, he could easily imagine it would jump him the moment he did so.

Even though the Titan lingered quietly in its half-dead state, it was just by looking into its eyes that Sebastian could tell that it was aware of his presence. It knew he was here, another human, another potential meal. If it had all of its stamina back, who knew how the Titan would have reacted. In fact, what if it was actually strong enough to break out of those restraints, but it was simply biding its time? What if-

Hanji sniffled a little.

"Yes, it's rather sad, isn't it? He's been such a good test subject, putting up with everything I've done to him and never even trying to bite my head except for that one time! It pains me when I have to look at his chest being splayed open like this..."

"What?"

"Oh, nothing," Hanji wiped her eyes on her sleeve, "Actually, there is something I wanted to talk to you about your request, Sebastian. The one you mentioned about in your letter."

"Y-Yes?" Sebastian was a little thankful to finally have something tear his attention away from the Titan.

"You were thinking about asking to join the Survey Corps, weren't you?"

Sebastian nodded. "Yes, that's what I had decided."

"This is why I wanted to show you this Titan." Hanji pat Alexander's thigh, "I'm sure you've already felt a little intimidated when you first saw him."

"...Yes..."

"I had good reason to have you come here at this exact time, too." Hanji explained. She removed several more implements from the Titan's stomach, and steam began to spew from its guts, as if the blood inside was literally starting to boil.

"What do you mean?"

"If you can't even properly handle confronting a 4-meter Titan that's been restrained like this, then do you really think you would do any better against a 5, 6, 7 or even a 14-meter class Titan, and when it's in the middle of trying to chase you down and eat you?"

Sebastian couldn't bring up any sort of possible retort to that.

"I'm just trying to help you understand the reality of the situation. The Survey Corps needs all of the help it can get, but if you're not really willing to sacrifice yourself for the sake of humanity, you shouldn't be rushing to make a rash decision like this. Do you understand?" Hanji asked.

Sebastian nodded, but then he spoke, "I...I do want to help. My brother, he was killed by a Titan in your last expedition beyond the walls. He died fighting for humanity and to save his two friends who had been there with him. I want to avenge him, no, I want to keep his legacy alive and take his place in the Corps to fight against the Titans!"

Hanji looked over at Sebastian again with wide eyes, as if the young man had suddenly sprouted several heads and began speaking in tongues without warning.

"...That's your reasoning for wanting to do this?"

"I've admired my brother my entire life. I thought I was doing something best for myself by joining the Military Police because it was safe, but I hadn't anticipated he would die so soon, or so suddenly. I know it might seem pointless to do something about it now, but I don't think I could sit around at Wall Rose while letting the rest of my people die for my sake. I want to help the Survey Corps in any way that I can. It is probably foolish, but that's just the way my brother and I were raised, and I don't intend to let his memory die out there in some Titan's stomach."

Hanji shook her head. "Do you even have permission from your own superiors yet?"

Sebastian reached into his breast pocket and removed a slip of paper. "I was actually sent this letter this morning."

Hanji removed her gloves to read the letter. It was short and quick to the point: Sebastian had been given permission to leave the Military Police and join the Survey Corps if he so wished. Hanji sighed. The Military Police really didn't care about anything at all except saving their own hides, did they? They would even throw away a young man into a Titan's jaws like this. However, at the same time, this Sebastian kid didn't seem like he was putting on airs, or at least he was genuinely holding onto his convictions, even if his fear of Titans was a little obvious. There was hardly a person still alive who wasn't afraid of the Titans, so Hanji couldn't exactly blame him there. This wasn't the first time she'd done this.

It was uncommon, but every now and then there were people outside of the military who would request to lend their services to the Survey Corps. Usually hopeless drunkards with little left to live for, or rich brats from the wealthier families who possessed far more confidence than actual skill. Hanji had been requested specifically by Erwin to enact this test, by presenting one of their captured Titans and gauging how they react to it, as well to test their actual devotion to the cause. Of course, many turned away after seeing a man-eating monster from close-up, but there were also those who held their ground in spite of the fear. The Survey Corps was always aching for new recruits, but they weren't going to take anyone who was the least bit unwilling.

Hanji personally didn't like Sebastian's reasons for applying to the Survey Corps, the young man's brother probably didn't want him to join the Corps for the sake of his own life, but she couldn't turn him down if he was this adamant about it. She took the paper and placed it carefully into her pocket.

"I understand. I'll relay this to the Commander. You seem rearing to go...and you do have permission from your boss...so there probably won't be much of a problem,"

Sebastian tried to keep the Titan out of his line of sight, letting it hover there in the corner of his eye. "Thank you very much...!"

"We're actually going on another expedition in two weeks, so come back then. I think it's a bit soon, but you might as well start soon, since you seem ready enough. We'll put you into one of the squads that's recently gotten a few new openings." Although Hanji had said it as if it were a passing acknowledgment, Sebastian couldn't help but notice the hint of sadness in her words. After all, he knew quite well what she meant about there being new openings.

"Thank you very much, Squad Leader Hanji!" Sebastian saluted her.

Hanji smiled sadly. "...It's no problem at all, Sebastian Meyer. You're from the Military Police, and only those in the top ten are allowed to join them, so I'm sure you'd be a welcome addition among our comrades."

* * *

Two weeks later, and Sebastian found himself at the Trost District, staring up in awe at the massive gate that would soon be raised for the Survey Corps to proceed. He could have sworn that his heart had never beaten this hard or fast before, like a drum that couldn't stop, and it only went faster and faster as time passed. He should have been hot under the blazing sun, his green cape of Freedom's Wings cascaded over his back, but his own sweat was enough to keep him relatively cool.

He looked around now. He was in the middle of quite a crowd, around 50 or so people, all of them adorned with the Survey Corps' crest while riding atop large and sturdy horses, raised personally for the division's use. Some chatted among themselves, others remained silently contemplating, but it was quite easy to sort out the first-timers from the experienced. Most of the new recruits looked like they were on the verge of passing out. There was an overall sense of uneasiness, a thick air of tension that wafted over all of their heads. Even the blabbermouths seemed to be talking just to keep their minds off of the mind-wrenching horrors they were likely to witness today.

Sebastian wondered what his brother had been thinking when he first passed through this gate. He had always been so brave, but even he was surely afraid of meeting Titans head-on. In fact, now that he was reflecting on his older sibling like this, Sebastian realized that Emmerich had always been strangely intense when it came to the discussion of Titans.

He was about to try and locate Lars and Albrecht, maybe ask them for more details on his brother's last moments, when a voice from behind called out his name.

"Sebastian! Hey, you're Sebastian Meyer, aren't you?"

Sebastian turned. He was approached by four people, three men and a woman, all of them riding horses.

There was a man practically the size of a Titan himself, with muscles like boulders and a broad chest that made his uniform appear uncomfortably tight. His face was half-hidden by a thick, curly beard, but his shining white molars could be seen peeking through the brush. Although he wore Vertical Maneuver gear on his hips, he also wore a white strap over his chest, but what it held was hidden under his cloak. Sebastian wondered how someone of his size could possibly hurl himself through the air as easily as others.

The woman was also tall, but she gave off a different vibe altogether, like she didn't want to be here at all. She addressed Sebastian with a nod, but she kept her head slightly lowered and her shoulders hunched the entire time. Even her smile seemed a little false, a facade for Sebastian's own sake. She seemed to be trying to desperately make herself unnoticed, but at the same time, she seemed like someone to not underestimate. Her raven-black hair was draped over one eye, tied into a spiked bun on the back of her head. She wore her cloak over the front, for some reason, Sebastian noted.

The second man was certainly the most curious-looking, if only because of his chosen hair-style. He was thin, wiry even, and he wore his sleeves rolled up to reveal his long, muscled arms. He seemed very lean but strong, like he had built himself on nothing but physical fitness throughout his entire life. His hair, which drew Sebastian's attention the most, had been almost entirely shaved away, leaving a column of hair in the center that ran vertically across his head. He spat a wad of chewing tobacco at the foot of the woman's horse, which earned him a glare full of ire.

The final member of the group was an older man with curled muttonchops and a pony-tail, both the color of a golden sun. He gave Sebastian a sharp nod, like his head was attached to a retractable spring, and he shot out his hand to offer his welcome properly. The young man took it after a beat. The older gentleman's grip was strong, and he shook Sebastian's hand with enough strength to nearly dislocate it. His facial hair trembled in the wind.

"So you are Sebastian Meyer? A Military Police soldier who has figured out what's the right side to be betting his life on? Very good. My name is Leopold Kaufmann, and these three are Raimond Hartmann, Ursula Roth and Wendel Bodt, my most trusted men. We are Sixth Squad of the Survey Corps! Welcome aboard!"


	3. The Hunt Begins

"However! Heed me now!"

Sixth Squad Leader Leopold Kaufmann suddenly ripped his hand out of Sebastian's grasp and held it up.

"I should let you know that you were not picked to join our squad at my personal request or because your skills were deemed adequate enough in comparison to me or my men."

"N-No...?" Sebastian started to pull his own hand away, blinking in confusion.

"You were assigned to my squad due to a recently opened vacancy, by the joint decision of Squad Leader Hanji and Commander Erwin. I played no part in this at all, but as a good soldier who gladly welcomes all new recruits with open arms, I am still willing to take you on as a fellow member of the Survey Corps, as we are both working for the good of humanity. I wanted you to know these few facts because I don't intend to fuel your ego in any way, shape or form. Having an inflated ego in Titan territory is one of the easiest ways to get yourself killed, believe you me. You may have survived your few years of training, even coming out in the top ten of your class, but when facing a Titan, you're nothing but another meal to them, and your life could be snuffed out with a single snap of its jaws, just like that. It doesn't hurt to be confident, but don't let confidence trick you into thinking you can survive fighting in a situation where it be far better off to run instead. Don't try to be a hero for the sake of your pride."

Sebastian gulped. "I won't do that, sir."

"Good! Very good! I hope that you survive long and prosper well."

The man with the bizarre haircut, Wendel Bodt, let out a unimpressed snort. "This kid is going to join our ranks? Really? So what if he was originally part of the Military Police? Everyone knows they barely take their job seriously, they're so comfy living in safety behind the walls."

"Don't forget what the Squad Leader said: this boy was in the top ten trainees. He may be green, but he's already shown some potential from his training according to the results." the woman, Ursula Roth, spoke up in Sebastian's defense. Her voice was quiet but wavering, slightly raspy.

"To me, that's about the same as any other soldier. I don't really like the idea of William being replaced so soon anyway. It doesn't seem right!"

"Wendel, we don't need you to start making a scene before we've even started the expedition." Leopold reprimanded his subordinate.

"Um, excuse me," Sebastian spoke up, "But who is, er, was William?"

"He was the former fifth member of our squad. He, uh...didn't make it back with us last time we went out beyond the walls. A Titan blind-sided him." Raimond Hartmann explained. His voice was deep and gruff, like how one might expect a large grizzly bear to speak if it could, but he seemed friendly, or at least willing to offer information to the new Survey Corps member, and he scratched at his beard thoughtfully. There was a hint of begrudged sadness in his eyes, and no wonder, having to reminisce about a lost friend.

"Oh...I'm sorry..." Sebastian winced; it might have been better he hadn't asked.

"It's fine. We brought back what was left of his body and had him properly buried. Nothing else we can do now." Raimon sighed.

Ursula and Wendel were still glaring at one another, but eventually, Wendel relented.

"Fine, fine! I got it! Now quit giving me the evil eye, will ya?"

"You know what you have to do,"

"Right...gah, just because you're a few years older..."

Wendel looked back at Sebastian and explained, "Look, I'm going to say this, and I mean it. I'm sorry, kid, I gave you a pretty damn poor first impression there. I'm still a little angry about losing William, see, and I didn't want to see him get replaced just like that. This is why I'm a plain ol' soldier and not a squad leader, I wouldn't be able to make those sort of decisions if I had to. If you can keep up with us and actually take down a few of those bastard Titans too, then you're alright with me! Basically, if you watch my back, I'll watch yours."

"Thank you, sir! I won't disappoint!" Sebastian proclaimed, more than a little relieved that he wasn't going to have to fear any antagonism from his new comrades.

"Hey, watch it about getting cocky!"

"Ah, uh, wait, what?"

"Ha ha! You got to keep paying attention, kid! You're tripping up already!"

Raimond laughed, and Ursula chuckled softly to herself. Sebastian didn't understand it in the slightest. Before he could inquire further, though, Leopold silenced them all by raising his hand. The effect was immediate.

"Pay attention, you four. The Commander is about to announced the objectives of our latest expedition."

Sebastian, Raimond, Wendel and Ursula turned their heads toward the front of the line, where Commander Erwin Smith faced them all. His presence was a powerful one, and it could be felt even this far away. Sebastian was amazed that one man could manage a force as hectic, dangerous and having as high of a fatality rate as the Survey Corps, yet not crack under the pressure. Somehow Erwin Smith managed it, and with flying colors apparently. He had heard many things about the man, both good and bad, although the Military Police was far more prone to making criticism over giving praise, so he took it all with a grain of salt. What he heard most, however, was that Commander Erwin was one of the best things to happen to the Survey Corps. His intelligent, out-of-the-box style of thinking had helped the division create a stronger case for its existence, when many people argued it would be better to simply forget about the outside world and live their pitiful lives forever in safety behind the walls. Erwin refused to give up on overcoming the man-eating creatures. He devised numerous tactics that would allow the Survey Corps to one-up the Titans, ensuring less deaths and more successes for humanity. He'd shaped the Survey Corps into what it was today.

Erwin Smith had also given permission for Sebastian's inclusion into the Survey Corps, so the young man had to thank the Commander for at least that much.

"Good morning, soldiers!"

Erwin wasn't particularly yelling, but his voice still had enough power that even just by raising the volume of it, he could overlap all other sounds and pull every single ear in his direction. His presence just had that sort of effect on people. Sebastian could feel it too, like he could put his trust into this man and know he would never lead him astray.

However, a more boisterous fellow with thick side-burns came forth and began speaking on Erwin's behalf.

"This will be the Survey Corps' 53rd expedition beyond the walls to date! For those who have recently joined our ranks, this is the moment of truth: you can finally put everything you have learned over the past few years to worth, and make yourselves the stepping stones to humanity's goal of victory! To the men and women here who have fought alongside us this far, ensure that you return to these walls safe and alive by the end of our expedition! We are going to scout the surrounding area outside of the Titan Forests, taking down any and all Titans that appear, and try to locate a safe route through the forest to ensure maximum coverage for ourselves. Those are our objectives!"

"...Sounds the same as last time's objectives." Raimond muttered under his breath, not at all trying to prevent his comrades from hearing him.

"We'll do it if we have to." Ursula replied.

"Do you think we are going to find something new this time? It seems like the Commander has a lot of interest in the forests." noted Raimond.

"The forests?"

"Think about it; what advantage could we possibly have in there? Sure, we can use our Vertical Maneuver Gear thanks to the trees, but the trees also obscure our own view, granting Titans their own advantage in being able to sneak up on us. Not to mention we hardly know how far along the forests go or if they go anywhere at all. It seems incredibly risky to me to bet our lives on it!"

"I believe that Commander Erwin knows what he's doing, he always has."

"Yeah, but this time...what is the point? We could lose more good soldiers like William for something we don't even totally understand."

"I'm not sure what it could possibly mean. What do you think, Wendel?" It seemed like Ursula wanted to make amends regarding their earlier bickering, but Wendel wasn't too quick to take the bait, or he simply chose not to.

"Beats me. I'm the last person to ask about this stuff, though, right?"

Ursula looked like she was going to remark on Wendel's behavior again, it seemed to be a natural part of their team dynamic but suddenly her lips drew tight and she winced, as if she'd suddenly caught whiff of a horrible stench. She was swift to drape her arm over her abdomen. She said nothing in the end. Sebastian pretended he hadn't noticed it at all, but it was difficult, he wanted to inquire what was wrong. Raimond and Wendel kept it to themselves too. A quick glare from Leopold shut them all up again real fast. If they weren't going to speak about it, then it certainly wasn't Sebastian's place to interject.

"From the moment we open this gate," the extremely loud soldier continued, "You have your life in your hands, but do not forget that you can, and must, put trust in your comrades as well! You need to fight for each other too, so we have as few losses as possible, and so we can leave as many Titan carcasses in our wake! Make sure to keep an eye on your tank levels and never let your guard down! Now are you wusses ready to go? Show the Commander what you've learned and take back humanity's freedom!"

The crowd cheered. Another soldier at the front ordered for the gate to be raised. Sebastian swallowed the saliva building in his throat, and wet his lips; his entire body was shaking so hard, he thought he could actually fall off his horse at any moment. He was excited, anxious, nervous, frightened, nauseous all at the same time. His emotions were constantly jumping up and down, rising and falling with no way to center them out. If he could just settle on what emotion to describe how he felt currently, it would have been fine, but there was no description that would fit this thumping in his chest. Sebastian was afraid to fight Titans, but he wanted to avenge his brother, no, he wanted to avenge humanity as well. He wasn't going to run away now.

He looked at Raimond, Ursula, Wendel an Leopold; they seemed to be composed. Maybe this was how every new soldier felt when they first saw the gate rise. It was horrible and wonderful at the same time. How it could be wonderful, it was alien, but Sebastian felt it. The gate had nearly finished rising. The first few soldiers, along with Commander Erwin, began moving toward the exit.

Leopold slapped his hand onto Sebastian's shoulder, which made the boy jump. Squad Leader Leopold seemed to be good at sneaking up on people.

"Sebastian."

"Y-Yes, sir...?"

"That look in your eyes, I don't like it." Leopold's mustache ruffled.

"What?"

"You're not about to wet yourself, which I admit is an improvement over the last few soldiers I've mentored," Leopold tossed a wayward glance at Ursula and Raimond, who both avoided making eye contact, "But I can tell that you are beginning to let your ego sway you. Don't become over-confident, or you'll find yourself in between a Titan's jaws sooner than you realize. Don't let fear rule you, but don't forget about fear either. It's the innate desire to survive and avoid confrontation that helps an animal live long. Don't start thinking there is anything exciting about this!"

"...I understand, sir." Sebastian hung his head. He felt quite embarrassed.

"It's best to stay somewhere in the middle," Wendel suggested, "Like...apathetic, that's the word, right?"

Ursula nodded. "I suppose that is the one. It's about not letting yourself be rattled by terror or by anticipation."

"Yeah, exactly!"

"Of course, in the end, just act however you want...as long as you're not getting in anyone's way...and as long as you aren't getting yourself or others killed!" Raimond added, beaming widely through his facial hair. Somehow, the smile seemed forced, but Sebastian appreciated it nonetheless.

"I understand, sir." he repeated.

* * *

As soon as the Survey Corps had put enough distance between itself and the walls, it was split apart into several groups, the first phase of Commander Erwin Smith's latest strategy, a tried-and-true method he had crafted on his free time to ensure an increase of 30% success for the division. It was one of the best ideas to come out of the Survey Corps in ages, even though Erwin Smith himself refused to be treated any differently in spite of his contributions. Sebastian could spot Erwin's raised arm, even over the many heads ahead of him.

"Long-Distance Enemy Scouting Formation! Deploy!"

Leopold, Sebastian, Raimond, Ursula and Wendel were placed into the scouting support team, along with the Fifth Squad, led at the helm by a woman named Sandra. Their job would be riding around the perimeter of the forest, along the edge of it, to observe the location and retrieve important information such as possible entrance-ways and the locations of any Titans. The Titans would be disposed of if necessary, but otherwise they would rely on their horses to keep the distance from the enemy. Afterward, they would quickly regroup in a safe zone, once Erwin released the proper flare, and they would retreat back to the wall. A larger force would be gathered for the next expedition to venture into the forest. It was supposed to be a short expedition, meant solely for gathering information first and foremost, but that did nothing to shake the little grim reaper that hung over every soldier's shoulder.

Sebastian nervously thumbed his flare gun; he wondered if there would be any point to use it, when so many of the other soldiers would likely beat him to the punch. Everyone seemed to be on edge, but this was likely a normal scene, especially when this deep inside Titan territory.

Warm air pressed against his face, and he realized that this was the air of freedom. He could feel it, he could taste it, he could inhale it, and somehow it seemed like he was taking his first breath of life for a second time. Looking off to his right, Sebastian could see the clouds rolling across a blue sky, the grass wavering under the wind, and a row of mountains that looked humongous even from this distance. Forget fear or anxiety, what Sebastian felt at that moment was a wild elation, pumping out from his heart and flowing into every vein of his body. It wasn't pride, or rage, or desire that was driving him right now, but a sense of wonder and amazement. He could appreciate life at this moment.

The world was far larger than he'd ever thought, and he could hardly fathom what those mountains must have looked like up close, or what laid beyond them. The world behind the walls was a safe one, but it was also a small and pitiful one. If only the Titans hadn't come. If only humanity could travel this beautiful, wide world freely and without fear. Right now, he could have sat here forever to stare at that wondrous scenery. The Titans would have been nothing but a far-off nightmare, and he would have been quite happy with that.

"Hey, what're you looking at? A Titan out there?"

Sebastian was pulled back to reality by a quick remark from a female soldier beside him. When Sebastian shook his head, the woman clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth.

"Don' scare me like that, dammit!"

"I'm sorry,"

"'S Okay. Forget 'bout it." The woman sighed.

Sebastian noticed the woman's dialect and her way of speech, recognizing she must have come from one of the small villages in the hills. Even the farmers, the near-poor and diligent workers who were treated just a few levels above the underground criminal scum by the upper echelon, were willing to throw down their tools to join this collective effort to help achieve freedom for humanity. It was admirable, Sebastian had to give them that. In a twisted sort of way, a way that was filled with blood and pain and tears, the Survey Corps was able to bring people together in a way that the Military Police and Garrison divisions couldn't.

Sebastian took another quick glance at that marvelous landscape just so he could soak it all up into his eyeballs, to ensure he would never forget it.

The color peeled away from his features. A Titan was charging directly toward their squadron, having materialized apparently out of thin air since he last looked in that direction. And now everything would change from here on.

Sebastian kept his hand hovering over his flare gun. However, the longer he stared at the Titan, the stranger it seemed. It did not look anything like any Titan he had read about before. Even the imprisoned Titan that Squad Leader Hanji had shown him shared no visible similarities with this wild one, from what he could tell. By this point, several other soldiers had noticed the Titan as well, and one of them fired a flare, the others shouting among themselves. The Titan began to pick up speed. Sebastian felt like the air was squashed right out of his lungs. It was an abnormal in accordance to its actions. Any Titan was dangerous, even the small ones, but an abnormal was one of the worst. They were unpredictable.

Squad Leader Sandra shouted among the din, "Keep calm! Keep calm! Prepare to engage the Titan! I said, prepare to engage!"

Sebastian was shaking now. Everything he had felt or thought about this mission beforehand was instantly forgotten, like dust quickly swept away and disparaged from one's mind all together. It was true, you could feel completely confident with yourself up until the very moment where you were being counted on, or when the. Sebastian felt it, that chill, like ice-cold water rushing down your back, the way you couldn't stop your teeth from chattering as you watched that lumbering giant waddle closer. This wasn't fun anymore, it was life or death. The ground was shaking beneath his horse's hooves. The Titan's face was coming clearer into view. Its mouth was stretched wide open, gushing with copious amounts of saliva that dribbled down its large chin. Sebastian inhaled, exhaled, tried to calm himself, but it was only half-working.

He tried to keep himself steady as he slipped his trembling fingers over the hilts of his blades. His horse remained calm, but it was the only one, if only because it had its fear practically bred out of it. This would be Sebastian's first battle with a Titan. He could only hope that it wouldn't be his last. He'd joined this division to avenge his brother's untimely demise, to follow in his footsteps. If he died here today, Sebastian would have only left his dearly departed siblings with a whole new set of burdens in the after-life.

The Titan stopped for a split-second before lunging itself at the soldiers. Squad Leader Sandra screamed for everyone to get away. Sebastian prepared to click on the trigger to fire off one of the wires at the nearest tree, praying his Maneuver Gear would fling him to safety.

Another Titan came bursting out of the forest behind the two squads, without warning. Leaves and shredded branches took flight. Somehow no one had spotted its presence until now. What was even stranger was that it did not initially attempt to eat the humans. This Titan leaped over Sebastian's head, briefly casting him in its enormous shadow, before its fist came colliding into the first Titan's face, knocking it onto the ground. When the first Titan hit the floor, its head literally popped like a bubble full of blood and steam. Sebastian could only gape, lacking enough knowledge to make sense out of this bizarre oddity that had just transpired in front of him.

"What...the hell?" Sandra spoke aloud what was likely the most basic thought running through everyone's heads at that moment.

And then the new Titan turned its attention upon them. It spun around on the ball of its heel. Sandra attempted to fire a wire into the monster's shoulder, but with how fast it had whipped around, the wire missed just enough to scrape by. The tTtan had not appreciated this act very much. With what would be considered a relatively light punt in human terms, the giant sent Squad Leader Sandra and her horse hurtling into the sky. No one moved. The two soon came crashing down a few dozen feet away, the horse's corpse using Sandra's body to soften the impact. A pool of blood soon formed beneath them. Still, no one moved. Time itself seemed to come to a complete halt, but that only lasted for all of two seconds.

With another, more precise swipe, the Titan struck at Sebastian, decapitating his horse instantly. The equine collapsed, and Sebastian rolled over onto the soft, dew-coated grass.

The Titan reached out its tendril-like fingers toward the young man.


	4. On The Run

The Titan's massive fingers, each one as thick as a log, loomed as a black cloud over Sebastian's head. It came down upon him, like descending fog, and he discovered that his legs were too paralyzed with fear to move. But had his lower limbs been operating at full capacity, had the fear been completely wiped from his heart, it would not have made any difference. The Titan was already kneeling in front of him, and it would take far too many more seconds to prepare the Vertical Maneuver gear than it would take for the monster to simply reach out and snatch him up again. Sebastian could feel the cool, wet grass beneath his palms, and even now, the waft of fresh air was still flowing into his nostrils. There was a hint of mint in the breeze. The young man bared his teeth as the fingers started to enclose on all sides around him.

This was his first time outside of the walls but already it was going to be his last. Tragically, he knew for a fact that he wasn't the first to have been dealt this misfortune, either. Already he'd failed to avenge his brother, throwing his life away for nothing. Nothing at all.

Sebastian whimpered as he expected his final moments to come swiftly. However, those moments never arrived, stopped dead in the middle of arrival. Instead, the Titan's fingers literally crumbled onto the grass, splashing blood, and Sebastian was blinded by a strike of sunlight to his eyes as the Titan drew its shadow back, just before Fifth Squad Leader Leopold landed down in front of him. His sword was drawn, the blood-stains on its steel already beginning to steam and sizzle.

"Sebastian Meyers!"

Sebastian held his hand over his face, to cover his eyes from the sun. "S...Squad Leader..."

"On your feet! There's a Titan to kill, and you were about to let yourself become its latest victim! What do you think you're doing?"

"I...ah...yes, sir. Understood, sir." Sebastian couldn't have offered an apology for either his incompetence or his failure to properly react; it would have made no difference, and in all likelihood it would have made the Squad Leader even angrier with him. He pressed his hand into the dirt as he lifted himself back onto his feet, taking the gravel with him so he could run it through his fingers one last time. The Titan had retreated back, but three soldiers had already begun to engage it, swiping valiantly at its arms and legs. The first Titan that had appeared was nothing but a smoldering pile of disintegrating bones; its neck must have been destroyed when the other Titan punched its head apart. Sebastian felt that familiar chill slink up his spine again, and now instead of exuding confidence like earlier today, he was becoming more and more constricted with his own fears and hesitations, enough so that it literally felt like he was being strangled.

The way that this Titan had punched out one of its own kind with nary a moment of hesitation, and how it murdered Sandra with minimum effort...how could mankind, even with all of their strategies, their specialized gear and their indomitable strength of will, ever hope to match these creatures? Sebastian wanted to believe in Commander Erwin Smith and the Survey Corps, but they were going to need more than just swords and maneuver gear to truly compete in the war to reclaim the planet.

"Sebastian, are you just going to stand there?" Leopold eyed the boy with a harsh and unyielding gaze.

"...I'm sorry..." Sebastian couldn't stop himself from letting those two words out anyway, the ones he knew wouldn't matter in the slightest.

Squad Leader Leopold sighed.

"You need to center yourself, boy, or you really won't last long. Thank your stars that I was fast enough to save you just in time."

"Yes, sir."

"You're going to need a new horse...hmm..." Leopold turned, "Wendel, get over here!"

A scream bellowed through the air, a rushed scream that was swiftly cut short, and the sickening snap of a broken, dead body slamming into the ground soon followed. It was like a twig breaking in half, which made it only all the worse. It was a sound that dug like a knife into the heart of anyone who heard it. Sebastian choked. One of the other men had already been killed, fighting to his last breath against an enemy that far outclassed him.

"Kill it! Let's kill tha' damn son o' a bitch!" the woman from the countryside whom Sebastian had spoken to earlier, she was now flying off her horse with swords drawn. He wanted to cry out to her and tell her she didn't have to do this, but he knew that would be the worst lie ever told. He watched her propel herself through the air. He hoped he would see her come back down again, alive and well. Maybe she would even be the lucky one to land the killing blow. That would have been nice.

Wendel hurried over in a rushed gallop, holding onto the reigns of Leopold's horse that trotted beside him. The mohawked man's features were drawn tight with trepidation, his light mood left behind back inside the safety of the walls. Considering the vast list of reasons to be accurately feeling this way, Sebastian couldn't blame him. However, unlike Sebastian, Wendel still seemed to be keeping control over his mounting fear. He was concerned, sure, but it appeared to be more so for his comrades' safety than being attacked by more Titans.

"What is it, sir? I brought your horse back. Raimond and Ursula are keeping watch for signs of approaching Titans, as you'd instructed. We've fired off our own flare, and we're waiting for a reply from the other units."

"I'm going to need you to take Sebastian with you on your horse." The Fifth Squad Leader instructed.

"What?!" For a brief moment, Wendel's rebellious side popped up again. Leopold was ready and waiting in time to beat it back down with a shovel.

"You're going to do it. The Titan killed his horse."

Wendel let out a long-drawn sigh. "Yeah...yeah, you're right..." he gave Sebastian a flick of his neck, "Get on."

Sebastian had only just gotten his foot into the saddle's stirrup when he stopped momentarily to observe the ongoing battle against the Abnormal Titan. Gripped in its right hand was the severed upper half of a soldier Sebastian had never met. His waist and legs were strewn in bloody chunks on the ground, alongside the broken remains of his maneuver gear. The country girl hurled herself through the air, like a human bullet, and her blades sliced effortlessly into the muscles of Titan's wrist, forcing the hand to go slack and drop the rest of the dead soldier. She swung around in a wide arc, intending to go after the Titan's neck. Its other arm was already dangling limp, and in the few seconds left before the limb finishing regenerating, she was looking to end the whole thing.

"That Titan's movements...they're almost too good to even be considered an Abnormal's..." Leopold made as a passing comment.

The Titan reared its head back, and, Sebastian could have sworn it, its eyes briefly glanced at him, and their stares met. Like one human being to another.

The giant, man-eating monster started to screech; a powerful, resonating blast of sound that instantly forced the remaining soldiers to slap their hands over their ears. The young woman was forced to disengage her gear, the shock-waves of the scream sending turbulent vibrations through the wire. The wire itself dislodged, and before she could go spiraling completely out of control, the young woman curled herself into a tight sphere. She hit the ground and rolled forward, but remained stationary upon stopping. Sebastian hoped that she was alright.

"What was that...? Shit! Some sort of death-cry? Bastard nearly blew out my eardrums!" Wendel swore as he removed his hands from his head.

Leopold, however, was looking everywhere except at the Titan. "No, hold on. That screaming it did...those weren't even howls of defeat, but...maybe, like a wounded animal, it was a cry...for help?"

Sebastian and Wendel looked at each other. Soon, the ground began to shake, and they could hear the distant thundering of many giant footsteps.

"Titans incoming!"

Another flare was fired into the sky.

"We have to get out of here!"

"Retreat! Retreat!"

"Shit, they're really running! Don't tell me they're ALL Abnormals!"

Six Titans were steadily approaching the group's position from the West, all of them standing over 8 meters. The Abnormal Titan that had called them was beginning to rise up again. The country girl was unsteadily pushing herself up off the ground, but it appeared she'd broken something valuable, as she remained doubled over in pain. Sebastian could do nothing but stay back and watch, feeling more worthless than he'd ever had, as the Titan stomped her into the ground, an act of revenge against its attacker. When the Titan removed its foot, the girl had been reduced to a bloody pancake. Sebastian turned his head away.

"We need to retreat! We...we must go into the forest!" Leopold proclaimed, thrusting his sword in the direction of the woods.

"The forest? Are you crazy?"

"It's our only chance! We have no chance against these Titans; we need to put more distance between ourselves and them, but staying out in the open will only leave us exposed! By taking refuge in the forest, we can force them to lose track of us, and once we've either picked them off one by one, or better yet avoid them altogether, we can properly retreat back to the walls! Right now, though, there's nothing else we can do! We either take a risk and possibly live or stay here and die right now!"

The Abnormal Titan was lumbering toward the remaining soldiers, particularly Leopold, Wendel and Sebastian. For reasons unfathomable to the three men, although it may have just been a coincidence within all of the chaos, this Titan seemed unusually engrossed in attacking Sebastian. It had killed Sandra and several other soldiers, but in all cases it had been an act of self-defense. The Titan even saved Sebastian by killing the first Titan that appeared. It was an Abnormal, so of course its actions were illogical to the human mind, but it must have been interested in the young man this entire time. Sebastian wished he knew what would have made him so special; he wasn't anything special at all, just an idiot who'd chosen to join the Survey Corps. out of respect for his dead brother.

"Raimond! Ursula!" Leopold called over the other two members of the Fifth Squad, and they were soon regrouped together once more. They hardly looked any better for wear than Wendel did.

"We are heading into the forest! If you have any qualms about that, speak up now!"

"I have nothing to say, sir. I trust you completely." Raimond shook his head.

Ursula simply nodded in agreement.

Leopold climbed onto his horse and gave its reigns a powerful tug. The equine lifted its large body upward and kicked its front legs in the air.

"Let's go!"

With their Squad Leader at the front of the charge, the four horses darted toward the forest, a sea of trees taller than buildings, and hopefully they would manage to hide themselves well in here. Sebastian, clinging himself onto Wendel's horse, looked back one last time. The Abnormal Titan was following him with its black, empty eyes. It had stopped in its tracks for some reason, but its hand still remained outstretched, like a lover begging she would change if he would just come back to her. It looked so sad, almost pitiful, in a twisted sort of way. The other Titans were on the last-mile run, but by the time they would likely arrive at the mouth of the woods, the Fifth Squad would be long gone. As the trees began to enclose around them on all sides, Sebastian's view of the Abnormal Titan disappeared, and he looked ahead once more.

For a time, there was only a silence, one that quietly matured between the five soldiers. Not only did they need a moment to calm themselves, but they also needed a moment to think. What they were in right now was nothing less than one of the worst possible scenarios. Their mission, a simple one at that, had been compromised by a sudden and unexpected attack. An entire squad, leader and all, had been wiped out, a single Titan of Abnormal status credited with the work. With more Titans incoming, they were forced to retreat deeper into enemy territory without any way of properly informing Commander Erwin Smith or the rest of the main forces. In the forests, they had the trees to use to their advantage when operating the maneuver gear, but it also went in the opposite direction, where the Titans could use the terrain as cover to sneak up from behind. Their fuel was finite, and their horses would surely need rest soon. If they went too deeply into the forest, they would not be able to find their way back, and they'd be effectively left for dead. The amount of things that could go wrong at this point were on a list so long that it would have ran a mile.

"Ursula..." Leopold suddenly spoke, and the sudden intrusion of his voice was enough to surprise his companions, "Do you see any Titans?"

"No, sir." Ursula quietly replied.

"Any following us? What about that Abnormal Titan?"

"No, sir."

"Good."

Raimond pat the sheathe strap over his chest. "What should we do next, sir? How far should we go?"

"Those Titans are probably going to be waiting, expecting us to come out of the forest again. That Abnormal one, I don't know how, but if it can call in reinforcements with its cries, then it may be safe to assume it can lead the other Titans as well. It could be planning something else to out-flank us and capture us. We have to keep on our toes and stay on guard at all times."

Wendel shook his head. "Where the hell did a Titan like that come from, though...? It just, it killed all of those people, just like that...it fought more like a human than anything else..."

Sebastian had noticed that too. It seemed so strange. Titans had been noted time and again to bear a shocking resemblance to human beings, but they did not share any other similarities apart from that; they were mindless, stupid beasts without sexual organs and driven by a unnecessary desire to devour humans. Because of that, it was extremely difficult to link any sort of possible connection, genetic or otherwise, that human beings and Titans might share. We didn't know how Titans' brains worked, or whether or not they were evolving and gaining intelligence...they didn't know anything at all.

"Shit! What was that?" Raimond exclaimed rather loudly, his head whipping to the right.

"What is it?"

"It's...it's a Titan! I think it's moving for us!"

"How large is it?"

"It looks about 5...no, 4 meters!"

"Can you take care of it, Raimond?"

"I think so, sir."

Kill it quickly, before any more show up!" Leopold ordered.

Raimond gripped around the handles of his blades. "Alright. I'll be quick."

Firing a wire into the tree beside him, Raimond was ripped off of his horse, which continued to gallop on without him. Sebastian had to watch how the older man intended to combat this Titan. Raimond Hartmann was large, bigger and buffer than your usual soldier on the front-lines. The Vertical Maneuver Gear allowed the user to take flight, but it required a certain balance of weight. While the wire was designed to be sturdy enough to fling something of a human's weight through the air without much trouble, it still depended on its overall weight on how fast and how far it could move with the wire-and-gas system. Raimond appeared to be 6 feet tall, likely over that, but he was also a large man, constructed from over two hundred pounds of muscle. How he could manage to fight Titans when speed was so necessary was something Sebastian wanted to find out.

Raimond threw back his cloak and reached behind him. With one hand firing another wire to fling him a couple dozen more feet, he used his other hand to unsheathe what he had been concealing up until now. A white sword, massive in width but short in length, like a butcher's knife. Raimond gripped the sword in front of him as he fired the wire again. The Titan he had spotted earlier was on all fours, ready to pounce and salivating like a starving dog discovering its fist morsel in days. Raimond reared back, his sword lifted over his head, and throwing his weight forward, he came down upon the Titan in an instant. He swung forward, and flipped over the Titan to dodge its snapping jaws, which instead came in contact with the man's sword. His giant blade cleaved through the Titan's face, splitting it open in one bloody splash. Whipping around as he passed over its ruined head, Raimond fired a wire to latch onto the Titan's neck, which he cut open with another slice of his huge weapon. The Titan's neck wasn't just sliced, but completely severed from the rest of the body. Still, Raimond had struck exactly in the right spot, and the giant creature collapsed in a smoldering heap. It only took a fraction of that time for Raimond to rejoin the others on his horse once more, his bearded face splattered with steaming blood. He hardly looked like he'd broken a sweat.

Sebastian felt like he could finally breathe again; he hadn't realized he'd been holding it during that entire scene.

"Raimond's a pretty big guy, as you must have noticed," Wendel explained, "He was so desperate to join the Survey Corps, they had to let him in after he showed how good he was with cutting. He paid a few hundred extra to get his maneuver gear customized and a big sword made with extra thick anti-Titan steel so he could cut to his heart's content. Ain't that the way, Raimond?"

"Heh, don't go telling the kid my whole life story," Raimond smeared some of the blood onto his sleeve to clear his face.

"That Titan was a small one, but it surely isn't the last one we'll see." Ursula noted.

"If we can minimize the number of Titans we encounter to one or two at a time, we should be fine, at least for a while,"

"As long as we don't use too much fuel, of course,"

"Shit, I forgot about the fuel too...well, I hardly used much just now, but depending on how things go..."

"Keep a look-out for more Titans!"

Leopold suddenly stopped his horse, and with a wave of his hand, the others followed suit. He glanced around, surveying the surrounding area, likely in search of more Titans. Once he was finally satisfied, he turned to his four companions. He gave a curt nod.

"We will stop here to rest."


	5. The Sixth

As with many things about their world, no one knew why there were trees that had grown to such immense sizes, some with branches large enough for small groups of people to gather on a single one. These trees were densely packed together into forests that stretched for miles; these trees could reach hundreds of feet into the air, each one scaling high enough to tower over the majority of Titans, and thus they were a perfect vantage point for humans. If the plains were undoubtedly the Titans' territory, then the forests were the closest thing that humanity had to a relative 'safe zone'.

Sebastian cautiously leaned himself forward to peer over the edge of the massive branch that Fifth Squad had chosen to take refuge on. He could see the horses as tiny figures far below, huddled around the base of the tree with their reins tied to a spike in the ground. One of the horses sat, while the other three remaining on their feet. It was impressive, how selective breeding could produce such strong and dependable creatures. They appeared calm as they helped themselves to the plentiful grass around them by their hooves. How they managed to remain calm when a Titan was sitting in their presence, Sebastian couldn't tell. If only human beings had such admirable steel wills as their steeds.

Sebastian gulped. The Titan was staring directly at him, and blue eyes met with murky grays. Stringy globs of white saliva started to dribble down the Titan's chin the longer it held its gaze on him. The young man grimaced. He decided it would be particularly best if he no longer stared at the Titan, lest he give it any reason to act. If he looked further in the distance, he could see several more Titans observing them, all different sizes and builds, but thankfully none of them were large enough to reach them in the tree nor were they intelligent enough to attack their horses. For now they were safe, in one sense of the word. How they would outrun or kill these Titans once it was time to leave, however, was a different story altogether. Sebastian looked back at his comrades; he hoped that Squad Leader Leopold was formulating a plan as he sat there, arms and legs crossed with his eyes screwed tight shut. Raimond, Ursula and Wendel were eating military rations to replenish their energy.

"Sebastian, stop looking at the Titans and come over here to eat. They're not all that tasty, but it's better than nothing." Raimond held out one of the rations in offering.

Leaving the Titans alone for now, Sebastian scuttled over and took his place among the four to receive the ration from Raimond. "Thank you."

"Rations suck. I should have brought some fruit or vegetables on this trip. Shit...I could go for some tomatoes and crackers instead of this tasteless crap..." Wendel grumbled under his breath.

"Or how about some glazed ham? That's pretty good, right?" Raimond joked.

"You can keep your meat for yourself." After having witnessed so many people being eaten by Titans in the past, Wendel Bodt had settled to becoming a vegetarian; he couldn't bring himself to eat anything with a face or a brain. It made him feel too similar to those monsters.

The bearded man shook his head in response, stating, "Nothing's ever going to make you eat meat again, huh?"

"I highly doubt it, man,"

Sebastian started to rip open the thin, plastic cover that contained the ration. He was feeling anything but hungry right now. Wendel made note of this and decided to make a comment, as he was prone to do.

"How are you doing? You saw several people die, your horse was killed, a Titan nearly grabbed you...fuck, that's more shit than most first timers would ever experience without getting outright killed themselves!" Wendel remarked. "If you need a change of pants, you're out of luck, we don't bring anything like that with us anymore after our first two treks outside the walls. You didn't bump your head or anything, huh?"

Ursula was tearing into her ration with a surprisingly ravenous hunger, and she had two more waiting to be eaten on her lap. No one seemed to be raising a complaint about this, even as she scarfed down the last remnants of her ration and moved onto the next, so Sebastian wasn't going to make a remark about it either. He wouldn't have been able to stomach more than one ration anyway. Ursula was too engrossed in her own eating to tell Wendel off for making his insensitive quips. She wiped her mouth with a napkin, lapping up some crumbs off her cheeks, and she continued. Raimond cast glances at her now and then.

"I don't know how I survived all of that, but I'm sorry." Sebastian let his head sway from side to side.

"Sorry?" Raimond sank his teeth into his ration and tore off a large chunk, "What's that for?"

"Shouldn't I apologize, at the least? Isn't it at least partially my fault that we're stuck in this situation? I didn't run from that Titan when I had the chance, I didn't react like I should have, and I let my horse die, leaving me without my own transportation...I'm already turning into a burden for you all..." All I wanted to do was avenge my brother, which, in a world of death like this one, was basically fanciful thinking of a child, Sebastian additionally thought, but he would have only embarrassed himself further had he said that part aloud. Weighed down by a combined fashion of guilt and self-loathing, he looked down at the ration in his hand and considered handing it over to Ursula.

Wendel nodded in agreement. "Yeah, sucking is something you seem to be good at, but that's because you're a greenhorn. We didn't have the chance to save those who did choose to die fighting, like Sandra and her squad, but we try to save everyone we can. Your life is pretty much forfeit out here, but we're not going to give you or anyone else up without a fight if we can help it."

"Aye, we do what we can, but in our line of work, it's natural that we lose people no matter how hard we try. What you need to do, Sebastian, is figure out how to keep yourself under control: you joined for your brother, he's dead now, but you were too prideful before we left, and then you lost your shit when it came time to face a real Titan. That's normal, trust me, but you can't survive or fight with us if you're just one or the other. You gotta find that balance between courage and fear, so you can fight hard but never forget about your own mortality...I think that's how Commander Leopold put it, right? Wendel, back me up here!"

"Hell, how would I know? Don't ask me! I don't know what you're talking about right now!"

Sebastian thought about it, but it hardly took him long to realize that Raimond and Wendel were both right. He had to conquer the innate fear of the Titans and fight. Fighting was hard, it was dangerous and usually lead to death, but it was the only thing a human being could possibly do when faced against monsters like these Titans. If he didn't fight, he was basically putting himself on a platter and asking to be eaten, like one of the pigs Raimond was starving for. Sebastian needed to rethink his way of doing things from here on out, but nonetheless, he was going to put his best foot forward to take on the Titans. Like a soldier of the Survey Corps should. At least, Sebastian believed in himself enough that he would be able to do it; maybe he would get killed next time he confronted that Abnormal Titan again, if that had to happen.

No matter how much bravado or how much terror he let affect his actions, he wouldn't know how he would handle himself until the time to fight a Titan finally came.

Ursula had stopped eating, and when Sebastian looked to her, he noticed that she was bent over with her arms clenched around her stomach. Her face, hidden behind a drape of dark hair, was unreadable, but the low groans emitting from mouth were not a positive sign. Sebastian dropped his ration, instantly forgotten.

"Ursula...?"

Ursula started to moan louder. She placed her hands upon her stomach. Wendel began rising to his feet, but Raimond was faster, immediately lunging to the woman's side. He placed one hand on her shoulder and his other hand into her own, giving it a tender squeeze, and Sebastian could only stare. Leopold opened his eyes, turning to watch this spectacle alongside Wendel, whose mouth was stuck agape. All three men were spellbound.

"Ursula, what's wrong? Are you...is it...?" Raimond was afraid to complete the question aloud, but Ursula seemed aware enough of what he was trying to say. She swallowed and forced a tiny nod.

"It's...it's no good...I...I'm sorry..." To Sebastian's surprise, Ursula started to weep, tears streaming in waves down her pale cheeks. "I need more food than this...he's hungry...I can't hide it for much longer, Raimond..."

"No, it's okay...we'll get home...you can't...please don't give up yet..." Raimond whispered, but he sounded just as desperate and broken, if not more so, than the woman trembling against his arm. Raimond held her close, encompassing her smaller frame with his enormity.

"I never should have come on this expedition...I'm so sorry, Raimond..." Ursula's words were slightly muffled, her face half-pressed into Raimond's chest.

"W-What the hell is going on, Raimond?" Wendel was, of course, the first to throw a fit. Leopold did not look any more amused, but Sebastian was starting to piece it all together in his head, the longer he observed Raimond and Ursula's interactions. They weren't just friends, that much was made clear in these past few seconds, but they couldn't have possibly been married. Considering the casualty rates, marriage would have been a waste of money and effort.

"Yes, Raimond, Ursula. What is the meaning of this suddenly?" Leopold's mutton-chops twitched and rustled; whether it was just the wind's doing or his own perplexed displeasure expressing itself through his facial hair, that was unknown.

Ursula spoke, her voice clearer but still notably shaky, "I'm sorry, sir...it's just...my time of the month, that's all...so please..."

"Your dialogue with Raimond certainly did not sound like this has to do with your 'time of the month'. Not to mention, I have seen you on your time of the month before, and it was never as dramatic or concerning to watch as this!"

Sebastian tried to keep his poker face; should he really be hearing any of this right now?

"Squad Leader Leopold, please! She's not feeling well-"

"No...Raimond, stop, we can't brush it away...look, help me stand up, I'm starting to get over the nausea,"

"Ursula?"

"Please, Raimond."

Reluctantly, the large man heaved Ursula up onto her feet along with him, and she kept an arm hanging over his shoulders for support. Ursula's strength was gradually returning to her, and before she could collapse again, she managed to straighten herself and take a step forward without Raimond's aid. Sebastian could see she looked deathly pale, like someone had literally sucked any and all color from her face, but she looked so worn and ill too. Sebastian had thought she was rather quiet when he first met her, but maybe it was because she had been trying to withstand all of the pain this entire time. But why would she had been adamant in hiding it, from her own companions even?

"Ursula, tell me, what is going on here...? Don't tell me you went on this expedition despite feeling ill!" Leopold snapped.

Ursula shook her head.

"No, Squad Leader Leopold, it's something much worse than that. I...I made a huge mistake, believing that today's expedition would be a simple one."

"What is it, Ursula? Just tell us!"

Ursula slipped a trembling hand over her stomach. Raimond visibly winced in preparation for her announcement.

"I'm actually rather pregnant, but from trying to hide it from you all for so long, the baby is starting to suffer. Raimond is the father."

Down below at the base of the tree, a number of Titans, large and small, had gathered in preparation for their meal, stirring, waiting for their chance to feed.


End file.
